Angel Eyes
by teamJNPR
Summary: In the corners of a city where even the most corrupt are cautious lies Miku, showgirl extraordinaire. She's privy to everyone's secrets, including those of mob boss Luka. In Luka's quest to silence everyone who's a problem, she turns to Miku for dirt, planning to kill her when the time is right. But things don't always go according to plan... Negitoro. Rated M for sexual themes
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So, this is completely self-indulgent. And it's probably going to be twisted, Miku and Luka are not going to be nice in this. Like at all. I don't condone anything they do or are probably going to do in this fic. Also, even this first chapter has smut, be warned. This is definitely NOT a slow burn. (Also, the Diva I refer to is actually based off Cyber Diva the vocaloid – but Cyber Diva as a name sounds kinda dumb so I'll stick with plain Diva)**

 **Uncharted Lands will be updated as and when I can, as I'm writing this fic for NaNoWriMo to get it out my head, lol. I might just write both and count both towards my wordcount, hehehe.**

 **Please review if you liked this first chapter! The first song that Miku sings, Gossip, is a real song by OSTER Project! Go check it out! (the lyrics I used were ytminty's, which can be found on their deviantart or tumblr)**

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Chapter One

Life was unfair to those that wanted to live most. Luka had learned this over time, and now was a clear example of the mantra. Stepping out of her motorcar, the only one to be seen around here in a very long time, the door was held open by one of her bodyguards. She shrugged up her fur coat to ward off the crisp night air. There was no use in pretending to be someone she wasn't, not in this part of the city, so she had donned her full intimidating regalia. She had someone to impress, anyway. Why, Luka thought, they had chosen to make their base of operations here, a place strewn with rubbish and people of less than ill-repute, was beyond her. Though, she thought, the person she was about to meet fit the latter of that criteria quite well.

Surrounded by her boys, Luka stalked to the stairs that descended to her destination. The smell of alcohol was apparent even here, though Luka supposed she was glad, as it was most likely covering up other smells she didn't particularly want to know about. The steady thump of a jazz number filtered through the door, and she waited until one of her guards knocked on it.

A meshed window slid open, and a voice behind it muttered something. As soon as Luka's name was mentioned, however, the eyes behind the mesh widened, and the door was pulled open. Smoke whorled out of the gap, and Luka didn't bother to hold her breath as she went inside, the man on the door staring after her.

The stark clip of her heels was lost in the music. A chair was pulled out for her at a table near the front. A drink, a complimentary wine that she wouldn't bother to touch, was left near her hand.

The music was good, Luka would allow them that courtesy. Slow, moody, and just enough to keep the regulars entertained before the main attraction. It was coming to a close, however, and Luka knew the woman she'd been waiting for was about to arrive. Suddenly, the pace picked up, and the spotlight shone on the curtains behind the band. They were drawn open, and there she was, in all her resplendent glory.

Miku Hatsune, greeted by lascivious cheers, took over the entire stage with her presence. Dressed in a short, sparkling black dress that was covered by a sheer cardigan, her hair cascading down her sides in waves, she certainly looked the part of a singer. Her look was complete with a pair of stockings and high heels. The patrons knew what they were really here for, and it certainly wasn't just Miku's voice.

'Hello there, boys and girls,' Miku said. 'Welcome to Angel Eyes. You all know who I am.' She made a show of looking around until her gaze dragged over to Luka. Miku smiled, a shark's grin. 'But we've got someone new here today, so I'll be singing a song just for her.'

It seemed like everyone in the club looked at Luka in that moment, and she felt her hand twitch. Her security made it even clearer that she was not to be trifled with, however, and their eyes soon fell back on to Miku.

As soon as she began to sing, the audience was spellbound. Miku's voice, though it was high when she had spoken, was now sultry and full of depth. The song was high paced, full of vigour that kept Miku dancing around the stage. With a wave of her hands, however, the cardigan was flung off even though she hadn't made the motion of removing it, and it flew out into the crowd. Luka didn't bother to look back at the brief scuffle that was taking place to get it. If they wanted someone like Miku, they had to be prepared to pay.

' _And I believed, this need we're indulging in, it's like a magic spell, a fairytale, maybe an old sin…_ '

Fortunately for Luka, her reputation alone allowed her to arrange a meeting. But sex wasn't what she had come for, oh no, Luka had much more important business than that..

Then the air around Miku shimmered, and suddenly the black number had disappeared in favour of something a whole lot more revealing.

' _Don't wanna hear you say you love me, no, baby that ain't what I need_ …'

A corset, black, of course, that had no business being under such a tight dress, clung to Miku, highlighting her narrow waist, the curve of her thighs. It covered just enough to be appropriate. The crowd cheered on, and Miku wasn't even out of breath. The song turned into a slow number, the band knew what was coming. Luka resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the display.

That was until Miku decided her target would be Luka herself. Their eyes locked, Luka felt a flash of something electric in the air, and she put up a hand to let her security know to keep at bay. If this would make Miku happy, no matter how undignified it was, then so be it, it would make her more malleable to Luka's questions later on. Miku placed her microphone back on the stand, then sashayed down the steps towards Luka, the trails of her bow at her back floating behind her.

The music was slow, sensual, a pulsing heartbeat against the raucous cries of the crowd. Miku was still giving that predator's smirk. For now, Luka would let herself be the prey.

Miku would most certainly regret that in her last moments.

Trained thighs were soon either side of Luka's legs, Miku able to hold herself so that her perfume was invading all of Luka's senses without actually touching her. She began to sway, rolling her hips to the beat, and the music, the crowd, they were all drowned out.

'There you are,' Miku murmured. Luka damned her heartbeat that was speeding up at the almost-contact, her lips slightly apart. 'Miss Luka Megurine. I've wanted to meet you for a very, very long time. Such an interesting soul.'

'You're rather notorious yourself,' Luka said, and that grin widened ever so slightly.

'Of course. I would have my reputation at nothing less.'

How the hell Miku was managing to make something that was nothing more than a charged bump and grind into something seriously erotic was beyond her. Fuck, this meeting had better happen soon. Miku trailed a manicured nail down the side of Luka's cheek that felt like it was burning despite not having touched a drop of alcohol. Right now, Miku was the epitome of alluring, but Luka was determined not to fall into the trap she was laying.

As the song ended, Miku gave Luka's legs a little, almost unnoticeable squeeze before getting up and walking away. She didn't look back.

Two could play at that game, Luka thought grimly. And Luka would make sure that she was the winner.

The band picked up again, after Miku's little display, and the singer herself had disappeared off backstage. Now was the time to follow her, then. Luka clicked her fingers as she got up, and her security followed her through the side door that read "private entry." A corridor, bare and smelling slightly musty, greeted her, along with Miku's slim figure.

'In here,' she said, and went through one of the doors. Luka followed, and sat down at a polished dark wood table. This was Miku's private quarters, complete with a dressing table, bed, and a bar stocked with drinks the city never would've allowed in the light of day. But, then again, they never bothered looking here. The dark colour scheme should've made it feel claustrophobic, but it somehow managed to feel clandestine instead. Miku smiled at her, though it never reached her eyes. 'A drink?'

'That would be welcome, yes,' Luka said. Another wine was poured out, presumably better than the swill they'd gotten her at the bar. This was most likely from Miku's own collection if she were drinking it. Luka watched as the bottle was poured into two glasses, waiting until Miku took a sip before trying it herself. Miku's own security were lurking in the corners here, too, eyeing up her own.

'As I was saying,' Miku said. 'I've wanted to meet you for a long while now. But, circumstances as they are, I never thought I'd have the opportunity. A girl like me should consider herself lucky.'

'Of course, meeting someone such as yourself is beneficial,' Luka said, not rising to her mockery. 'I believe there are a great many things we could do for one another.'

'Absolutely, I understand you must have heard a great deal, if you arranged a meeting like this. I must admit, I'm a little embarrassed. You know how words can get twisted in the streets, especially in this city.'

'Oh, I'm sure plenty of the remarks I've heard are nothing close to the truth.' Miku smiled at that, an eyebrow raised. 'But, in regards to business, I believe this is best heard in private.'

Surprisingly, Miku agreed to her request. She really must have thought highly of herself to do something like that so easily, Luka thought, as Miku waved her arm nonchalantly. Luka did the same, and both their teams left the room.

'So,' Miku said, languidly swirling her drink. 'Why come to me to get information? I'm sure there are plenty of people who know what you're after.'

'If they know, they're either silenced or dead,' Luka said, without a trace of a smile. The only reason Miku was still alive was because Diva wanted her to be. They both knew that, but if Miku had arranged a meeting with Luka, then it meant Diva's hold on her wasn't that good, or Miku thought herself more powerful. If the latter was the case, well, Luka was going to show her just how stupid that thought could be.

Miku hummed. 'Suppose I actually help you. What's in it for me? I don't go giving out people's secrets to just anyone, you know. I choose my clientele very carefully.'

'I'm sure you do,' Luka said. 'And I'm also sure that there's nothing I could give you that you don't already have.'

'Oh, you know me so well. And here I thought I could actually be of use. Oh well, I–'

The gun was out in an instant, aimed right between Miku's eyes.

And then Miku laughed. Luka didn't say anything, just kept the gun trained there.

'So, are you going to finish that sentence?'

'I knew it,' Miku said, shaking off the remnants of her laughter. 'One of the most notorious criminals in Starlight city doesn't even have magic. No wonder you came to me for information.'

Luka raised an eyebrow. 'I don't need magic when I've got the gun. I believe a bullet between the eyes is far more effective.'

Suddenly, Miku was straddling Luka, though she hadn't taken a step, nor had Luka seen her move. Her hand squeezed Luka's wrist, hard, and she dropped the gun with a grimace.

'Are you so sure about that? I don't just use magic to undress, you know.'

Luka's breath felt hot and heavy, and her heart was stammering again. 'Then maybe there is something you can give me, after all.'

'And why would I do that?' Miku breathed. 'You already said there was nothing I could get in return.'

Luka rolled her hips – if she was going to take it this far, she might as well play along. Miku gave a small groan. 'What if I was lying?'

'Oh, well, I'm sure we could come to an agreement, then,' Miku said. Her nail traced down Luka's face, but her hand didn't stop there, caressing her neck before heading down to the ample curve of Luka's breasts. 'But first, I think we've got to pick up where we left off.'

'On this chair?' Luka said, wryly. She certainly wasn't going to say no, despite Miku's reputation, she had a beautiful woman straddling her, and she hadn't allowed herself this much fun with someone so powerful in a long, long time. Miku laughed.

'Well, if you want to be so conservative…' she said. Her legs tightened around Luka, and she had to supress a small, undignified whine at the heat. She couldn't supress the gasp, though, and Miku took that moment to swoop down and claim her lips.

It was a slow yet sloppy embrace, tongues licking into one another's mouths and tasting all they could find. Miku's hands were pushing against Luka's chest, Luka's hands gripping Miku's waist so hard that it was sure to leave bruises. Luka's coat was slipped off and tossed away carelessly on to the floor. If only for a night, Luka would claim this woman as hers. That was how it always was, and how it was going to be now.

With a growl, Luka pushed, and Miku obliged, breaking off their kiss with a trail of saliva and smeared lipstick. They both stood up, and Luka revelled in the fact that Miku had to lean up to meet her, even in her heels. Slipping her thigh in-between Miku's legs, she carried on with the intent of pushing Miku back towards the bed.

But Miku wouldn't allow that so easily, Luka found. Somehow, a woman so slight and small held the strength that bested even her.

'I'd rip your dress,' Miku panted, after they broke apart again. 'But that would be a little cruel, even for me.'

'Shut up,' Luka said eloquently, and fastened her mouth on to her neck. Miku ached out a long groan, and ground herself against Luka's thigh.

'Are we going to stand here all day?' she managed, and Luka smirked against her neck.

'So eager?' she mocked, but apparently, that was the last straw for Miku, who gripped Luka by the shoulders, spun her around, and _pushed_ , until Luka was flat on her back on the bed's silken sheets. Well, that wasn't according to plan, Luka thought vaguely as Miku came down upon her and sucked on her bottom lip. She shuddered as Miku bit down, her small hands still holding her shoulders hostage, her nails biting into the skin. There wasn't any time to regain her thoughts, because Miku knew exactly what she was doing even if she didn't know Luka well enough to push all the right buttons at once. Not that anyone else did.

'So little time to enjoy each other,' Miku said, and with that, she gave a little wave of her hand and the corset disappeared.

'Fuck,' Luka breathed, taking in the sight. Of course, it had been so long since she had been with a woman, so she gave herself the right to stare. Miku, still straddling her, arched her back as she stretched, happy to show off her body to someone who would appreciate it fully. Luka's hands crept down her back to her backside, feeling it under her fingers.

'As much as I love the attention,' Miku said, 'I'd rather you get that dress off. Or I'll make it disappear,' she finished, waggling her fingers. Luka rocked her hips, and with an exaggerated groan, Miku got off and moved behind her. Pulling down the zip at the back, Miku let her hands trail down Luka's body until they reached the bottom of the dress, and pulled up, Luka lifting her arms to make it easier. With a naked body pressed against her back, Luka didn't much care for how dishevelled she looked at the moment of her reveal. Miku kissed the back of her neck and let her hands untie Luka's bra, immediately rolling Luka's nipples until they became erect with the long-awaited attention.

Luka's mind derailed from there, Miku's deft fingers travelling down to where Luka was aching for them to be. They gave a quick stroke, and, damn, that wasn't meant to feel that _good,_ and–

'Look at you. So wet, so desperate.'

Luka couldn't even argue, had it really been that long? She bucked into Miku's hand with a gasp and Miku took that chance to thrust into her. Luka choked out a strangled moan, and Miku wouldn't stop, just kept roughly pushing her fingers in, out, skilled and calculating.

But just as Luka's abdomen was about to clench and grant her that oh-so-sweet release, Miku stopped.

'Miku – ah–' Luka gasped, but Miku put her fingers in Luka's mouth and she couldn't help but suck on them.

'You've not earned that right yet, baby,' Miku spoke quietly, her voice quiet and dangerous.

After a few short breaths, reality came back to Luka, enclosing in on her personal space like a thick fog. She blinked, and Miku's dress was back on.

Luka wanted to smack her. She wanted to get that gun and–

Her hands were clenched. With another blink, she was composed again.

'I'll play your game,' Luka said, a warning clear in her tone.

'Oh, I got what I wanted,' Miku said. 'I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon. Now, if you don't mind, I'm positive your boys will be waiting to take you home.'

Luka got up from the bed and dressed silently, before reaching the door. Just as she put her hand on the handle, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

'I'll give you what you want, Miss Megurine. But know that my services _always_ come at a cost.'

'I'll keep that in mind,' Luka said, not rising to the bait. Damn her, but she was good at this. Luka had severely underestimated her. But, if she was offering magic, then how could she refuse? It would help her end Diva once and for all, and that was an opportunity she couldn't pass up. 'I trust that you know how to stay undercover.'

'But of course,' Miku said, and without turning back, Luka went out of the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I'm sorry this took such a while to get out. Uncharted Lands really got away from me the past few chapters. I'll try to be more consistent from now on.**

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Chapter Two

' _Angel eyes, devil's heart… that's what they say about that damned cabaret…'_

What had last night been?

Luka looked in the bathroom mirror, splashing her face with cold water. It dripped down her forehead and past her dark circles, as no matter what she'd tried, she just couldn't get to sleep afterwards. Maybe it was the pent-up energy, maybe it was the fact that she so utterly debased herself in front of that damned woman – for what? A quick fuck, that was what.

Luka had been played, but she remembered very clearly that going into the whole situation, she'd been level-headed. That had slightly come undone with Miku's lap dance, and had fully fallen apart when Miku had teased her afterwards. Maybe her magic was far more powerful than Luka had envisioned. Certainly _something_ had been the catalyst for that whole escapade.

Miku had access to everyone's secrets, or at least everyone who mattered. But how? How could such a slight woman in the recesses of Starlight city have knowledge like that? Luka was beginning to see the answer.

She wasn't about to underestimate her again.

Her hands tightened on the sink, her muscles bunching under the strain. Before she felt like she could crack the porcelain, she moved away, taking a deep breath and stepping into her empty office.

Or at least, it was supposed to be empty.

There she was, in a white turtle-neck dress, looking utterly flawless. Sitting in Luka's office chair with her feet up on the desk – it was like she wanted to get hurt. As if by second nature, the gun was out again before Luka even had a chance to think. Miku smiled.

'Do you have that thing everywhere you go?'

'I'd be dead if I didn't,' Luka said. But, knowing what Miku could do, she put it away. Besides, Miku still had a deal to offer, and Luka wasn't going to kill her before that, anyway. 'So, why break into my office?'

'I didn't break in. Walking in is far easier, and I didn't want to get my dress bloody.'

Luka shook her head. She'd put Miku on her very short list of people who were allowed inside her offices, but no one on that list was actually allowed _in_ her private office room. She must've had some trick up her sleeve to use in front of her security. Either that, or she'd seduced them in much the same way she'd managed to with Luka. She didn't think that was unlikely, given that Miku had managed to win her over, somehow.

'Was there a reason for this, or can I get back to work?'

'I made you a promise, didn't I? You need a magical core, and I'm going to take you to a woman who can gift you one,' Miku said, and Luka frowned.

'You have magic, don't you? Don't you have the power to gift it someone like me?' Luka mocked. Miku smirked.

'If only it were that simple,' she said, uncrossing her legs and moving them off the desk with a practised grace. 'Oh, and don't bother bringing your security. They'll be useless, anyway.'

Luka raised an eyebrow. 'Useless? I think not.'

'The person who we're going to see isn't human. She's an old friend. A faerie, actually,' Miku said, nonchalantly. 'If you upset her, no amount of bullets will do you any good. So I'd leave that gun behind, as well.'

'That's not happening.' Luka said. She knew about faeries, and the destruction they could cause. Modern interpretations were oh so wrong on so many levels. They were tricksters and thieves, nothing more, nothing less. She held a respect for their kind, and the power they held, but she didn't deal with them, and she preferred it that way. But if this old friend could grant her magic, and she ended up as powerful, if not more so, than Miku, then Luka would take the risk.

That begged the question, however, of just why Miku was doing this. Didn't she realise this could get her killed? She was far too overconfident in herself, and Luka was going to find out the reason why.

There was the possibility that Miku was working with Diva, but Miku could've very easily killed her in that meeting if she had wanted to. That made Luka's blood chill a little. She had been careless, certainly, but it had gotten her this far.

There was no going back now. And Luka trusted her instincts.

Miku uncoiled herself from the chair and stood up, gliding past Luka to the door.

'You go first. I do believe that things will get a little dirty if I just waltz out of your office like this.'

'Can't you pull whatever trick you used before?'

Miku just tapped her nose, meaning she wanted to keep things secret. Luka just shook her head and walked past her. Out in the corridor, two men stood either side of the door, and nodded at her as she went past.

'She's with me,' Luka said, as she passed them. 'And call my driver, would you?'

'Yes ma'am.'

'They're good boys, aren't they?' Miku said, a little further down the corridor. 'They don't ask questions or anything. Very well trained.'

Luka stared straight ahead, pressing the button for the lift, waiting as the mechanism climbed up from the ground floor.

Miku pouted. 'You're quiet when you're not having a good time.'

'I wouldn't say anything more than that, if I were you,' Luka said, stepping into the lift and giving a smile to the attendant that didn't reach her eyes.

'Afraid of who might hear?' Miku said. She looked at the attendant and grinned. 'Ground floor please, darling.'

'Of course, ma'am.'

The attendant closed the lift doors and pushed down the lever, and the lift began to climb back down the shaft to the ground floor. It was a silent ride, and the air was filled with a thick tension. If Miku did speak her mind, maybe she wasn't all that averse to violence. The attendant was pointedly not looking at them both. Maybe she knew she would be the victim, if Miku let her words play out. It wasn't that Luka didn't trust her not to say anything… but really, gossip could kill a woman if she wasn't careful.

After they had reached the ground floor, the attendant pulled up the lever and the lift came to a halt. She opened the doors, and Luka swore that she saw her wipe her forehead as they were leaving.

Miku confirmed her thoughts as they exited the front doors of her building. 'Poor woman. I thought she was going to faint. I wonder why that was?'

Luka had to resist the urge to scoff.

A smart black motorcar pulled up on the pavement just as the door closed behind them. The driver got out and held open the door for Luka, waiting until she got in before going around the other side to do the same for Miku.

'Where to, ma'am?'she asked. Luka looked at Miku.

'Church street,' Miku said, shortly.

'Really? Your contact lives there?' Luka asked. 'Though, then again, considering where _you_ live...'

'I wouldn't insult your guest,' Miku said lightly. Luka smirked. 'But, honestly? She likes it there. Everyone has a home, and that just so happens to be it. The fact there are plenty of business opportunities there helps as well, I suppose.'

'I can certainly think of one,' Luka said. Starlight had its very own thieves den, and of course it wasn't secretly supported by the royal family or anything so scandalous. Thankfully, the leader had been taken care of, long before Luka's time, and replaced with someone far more willing to cooperate. From her mother's notes that she'd discovered, Luka knew that the woman was held in a guarded warehouse not far from the outskirts of the city. Being a faerie had its advantages, yes, but when they were trapped in their pure form, their powers were minimal. Luka's mother hadn't gone into any details on how she'd managed it, but the leader had been forced into her pure form and had been kept that way. Apparently her mother had kept her alive simply as a show of power.

Fortunately, Diva hadn't come that far into her territory yet, regarding the leader of the thieves, but Luka knew it was only a matter of time before she tried. Luka wasn't going to let her get away with doing whatever she felt like, not this time.

'Yes, there is that,' Miku said. 'And she takes full advantage of it… within the boundaries, of course.'

Luka nodded, and the two of them sat in silence for the rest of the journey, both of them looking out of their respective windows.

Once they had arrived, Luka's driver opened the door for her once more and helped her out before attending to Miku.

The street ahead was full of potholes, cracked pavement tiles, and bags of rubbish left strewn in front of the houses, none of which had front gardens. Luka wrinkled her nose. There was a reason she never fully ventured out of her area unless needs called, and this was it. Last night had been another exception, of course, though Luka didn't really feel like thinking about that. There was an overall stench of decay in places like this, full of supposedly abandoned buildings left from when the city decided to pour its money into something more "useful" than the working class citizens, leaving them bereft as the rich grew richer.

Luka wasn't going to pretend she was some kind of Robin Hood figure, but as she grew more in power, these people could certainly use the extra push. When this was her city, things would be put right… eventually.

Of course, her own matters took priority.

Miku joined Luka at her side, while Luka turned to the driver.

'Keep the car running.'

As they walked to their destination, Miku smiled. 'Paranoid?'

'If she really is a faerie, I'm not taking my chances.'

'Fair enough. I would do the same in your shoes, which thankfully, I'm not.'

Luka grit her teeth but carried on walking forwards. She couldn't wait for the day to see Miku six foot under. Or at least contained somewhere safe where she'd never have to look at that smug expression ever again.

Miku knocked on the door of a house that looked the same as all the others – dilapidated at best – with a short pattern. She did the series of knocks for a second time, and the door was opened.

A bored looking teenager with a shock of red hair stood a little ways back from the entrance, and waved Miku ahead until he spotted Luka.

'Stardust won't like this,' he said.

'Trust me, she will once she knows what she'll get in return.'

'You're helping her get magic, then?'

'Why else would we be here? Don't ask stupid questions, Fukase.'

Fukase frowned, but let them go ahead anyway. Was he a faerie too? Luka didn't want to underestimate her chances if things went sour, so she assumed the worst.

'She's in the garden,' he called after them, but it looked like Miku already knew where she was going, avoiding the door into what Luka guessed was the living room and straight out into the garden.

Well, Luka thought as they stepped outside, it was more of a yard. But Stardust had done her best to make it as green as possible, with hanging baskets filled with seasonal early spring flowers and a miniscule lawn. Stardust herself was sat in a cushioned chair, legs crossed. She glanced up at Miku, but her gaze shifted to Luka and gave her a quick appraisal. Her eyes narrowed, and something akin to hatred gleamed in them.

'You look like her,' Stardust said. Luka raised an eyebrow, and Stardust sneered. 'Though I suppose I can't blame the sins of the mother on the child, after all.'

Ah. Luka looked at Miku, who was wearing a suspiciously impassive expression. Surely she knew something about whatever this was? Though it looked like she was waiting for Stardust to explain it instead.

'My mother,' Stardust bit out, 'was the leader of Starlight's very own thievery corporation.'

Suddenly, the situation felt a lot more dangerous than it had before. But, Luka thought, bullets wouldn't do much against a faerie, especially while Stardust was in human form. The gun had served its purpose of making her feel less useless, but now it had failed. So, the one who her mother had gotten rid of, it was Stardust's own mother.

Well, shit.

'I'm afraid I wasn't around when all of that happened,' Luka said, and looked at Miku. 'But I assume this is why you brought me here, yes? I didn't think I was getting something for nothing, after all.'

'You're damn right about that,' Stardust spat. 'I want her back.'

Luka suppressed the urge to sneer. Stardust was underestimating her. And thankfully, Luka hadn't given Miku the reaction she'd so clearly wanted off her.

'I can give you what you want,' Luka said, simply. 'Magic is more important to me than my mother's past deeds.'

'Well, good. I suppose I can let you out alive, then. Even though it would be a waste, especially considering dear Miku brought you all the way here. Speaking of which, Miku – your sister was looking for you.'

'Sister in law,' Miku said immediately. 'And not here, Stardust.'

Stardust raised her eyebrow but said nothing. Luka almost smirked. Even the most secretive of people couldn't hide everything forever. Family drama was always useful to keep in mind.

Stardust glared at Luka. 'So, where is she?'

'If someone,' Luka said, turning her own glare towards Miku for a second, 'had told me your bargain beforehand, I would have come with the answers. I know where she is, but not the exact details.'

'Fine,' Stardust said. 'Go and find out, then. Fukase will give you my number and you can ring me with the information. But if you don't do it within the next couple of hours I'm blasting my way into that office and killing all my men, and you, no matter the consequences. Got it?'

'Understood,' Luka said.

Stardust nodded and waved her away. Luka turned to leave, and as they entered back in the house, Luka asked for Stardust's number, which Fukase reluctantly gave after a lot of scowling and grumbling.

They got back into the car.

'So, a sister in law,' Luka said.

'Drop it,' Miku said. 'I mean it, Luka. Drop it.'

Even in this car, Luka knew Miku could probably cause a lot of damage. And nobody would be able to find her body out here.

She dropped it.

* * *

After they got back into Luka's office, Luka went straight to her desk and unlocked the draw which held a scant collection of her mother's less private notes. Miku was silent, brooding about something or other, Luka didn't care what.

Knowing that Miku had tried to pull another play of power with her at Stardust's house made her already low mood worse. Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as humiliating as the events of last night, but it still stung a little. Luka _hated_ being left in the dark about things.

Ah, there was the right page. She rang Stardust and listed off the address.

'I make good on my bargains,' Stardust said. 'I'll come to your office and we can get started on gifting you a magical core.'

'I suppose I'll have to let my people know there's another visitor incoming.' Luka sighed. Stardust hummed and hung up.

Now there were going to be two strangers in her private office. Today was not a good day.

* * *

It didn't take long for Stardust to arrive. Luka noticed that the lift attendant pointedly wasn't looking at anyone, and she just took Stardust and Luka back upstairs without saying a word.

They stepped inside.

'Wow, this place is really something,' Stardust said. 'It's too clean for my liking.' Miku snorted, and Stardust glared at her. 'Fine, let's get this over with then. Sit down – no, not on the chair, Luka, on the floor.'

Luka did just that, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, feeling glad she'd decided to wear trousers that day. Stardust say in front of her, assuming a similar position. All the anger that Luka had sensed from her before seemed to have dissipated. Miku took that chance to sit in Luka's chair, watching over them like a queen would her subjects. Luka fought the urge to scowl.

'Hold out your hands,' Stardust sad, and Luka did so. Stardust took them, surprisingly gentle. 'Now, this is similar to meditation. Have you ever practised it seriously?'

'I haven't,' Luka said, honestly.

'I'll talk you through the process, then. I say similar, because I'll be feeding you very small amounts of my magic at the same time. I want you to find a breathing pattern that's relaxed, and any thoughts that come to mind, any emotions, I want you to accept that they're there, and move on. Don't dwell on them, don't let your emotions overtake you, or this won't work. I'll be taking you deeper than normal meditation, what with magic being tied to your being and all. It needs a good place to manifest. You'll know when it happens. Now, slow, even breaths...'

Luka closed her eyes, and began to breathe. Suddenly, she felt an unfamiliar throb with every heartbeat, one of power she'd never felt before. She began to reach for it.

'Don't. You're not ready yet, it won't work,' Stardust said. 'Concentrate on your breathing...'

They fell into a pattern, Luka getting distracted by her thoughts, Stardust gently easing her away. But Luka seemed to start to get the hang of it, and Stardust began to pull her deeper within herself.

The throbs of magic could be felt more now, and Luka began to see a golden glow in the darkness.

'That's it...' Stardust's voice could only be heard faintly, now. 'Reach… That's all yours…'

Luka imagined herself slowly leaning forwards, and the golden glow grew bigger. She cupped her hands, and it was almost though the glow was _alive –_ squirming in her hands as she brought it within herself.

It felt as though Luka had been doused in cold water. Her eyes snapped open, and Stardust was smiling.

'What was that?' Luka asked.

'That,' Stardust said, 'was your magic. You now have a magical core, congratulations. Now, if you don't mind, I've got someone to find.'

They both stood up, and Miku uncoiled herself from the chair.

'I'd better get going, too,' she said. 'I have my own business to attend to. Luka, you won't be able to do magic yet, so don't even bother trying. Your core is still growing in you.'

Luka nodded, still left a little reeling from the sensation. As they left, she shook her head as though to clear it, and looked back at her mother's notes.

She had work to do, and she didn't even have to get her hands dirty to do it.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: There's no use pretending this isn't a big excuse to put my take on the enemies to lovers trope. I'm not doing anything wildly different, but it sure means I'm having a hell of a lot of fun writing this.**

* * *

Chapter Three

Luka awoke to an empty bed. Not that it was an irregular occurrence, but something about the past few days made her wish it wasn't. It wasn't as though she wanted the company – she would've kicked them out as soon as they woke up – it was more of the fact that she needed a quick fix to relieve the stress.

But as Luka got up, an unfamiliar pulse ebbed away at the back of her mind, and it immediately made her feel a little better. Ah, there was the solution to a lot of her problems. Now she'd seen what magic could do, and she had a taste of it. Not that Luka had actually gotten to do anything with it, and of course she'd _tried_ , but she hadn't known what to look for. Luka doubted Miku would come back, maybe that damned woman had wanted her to get this far and be frustrated once more. But Luka wouldn't give her the satisfaction, oh no, not this time. If Miku decided not to help her, then she'd find someone who would.

Luka had her ways of convincing others.

And then she'd put Miku in the ground.

She stretched, looking out of her floor to ceiling window that was cut off halfway by the mezzanine floor. Truly, there was something infinitely relaxing about seeing the cityscape crawl below her, but of course, there was work to be done, and she had to get ready for the day. The problem she'd prioritized yesterday had already been resolved, and Luka was looking forward to the reactions. Especially now she had magic in her grip, whenever she was able to fully utilise it.

Going down her spiral staircase into the main spread of her flat, she fixed herself a cup of tea and sat down at her dining table, facing towards the bottom half of her window.

The way her flat was laid out made it seem particularly modern, but Luka didn't mind. In this part of her life she wasn't so bothered about holding on to her past. And even though her living space was large, Luka didn't hire anyone to clean it for her. There was no need, she didn't exactly make mess.

Tired of sitting around, Luka washed her cup and went for the front door. She took a moment to run her finger down the side of her father's picture on the stand beside the door before she left.

* * *

She arrived early, and poked her head into her secretary's office before going to her own. Chika, who had been off sick with a particularly bad case of flu for a while, was sat in her usual place, smoking a cigarette.

'You're back?' Luka asked, and Chika tilted her head.

'I am.'

'And the replacement?'

'She's been very thorough,' Chika said, looking at the organised desk in front of her as though she didn't know exactly what to do with it. That struck Luka as a little odd. She raised an eyebrow at her.

'And you're sure you're feeling up to scratch?'

Chika smirked. 'Of course.'

'Good. Keep me informed.' With that, Luka turned around and went to her office, feeling a little displaced. That wasn't quite like the Chika she remembered. Had her illness really taken such a toll on her?

She frowned, sitting back in her chair. Or had something, or someone, gotten to her. Damn it, if Diva had found a way to get her to cooperate, then Chika would have to be replaced. She'd been a good woman, too, so it was a shame…

Though Luka knew that jumping to conclusions wasn't the best idea, a little paranoia had kept her alive over the years, and she wasn't about to abandon that gut instinct now. She had to consider all possibilities, but first, she'd make sure that Chika hadn't had anything too untoward happen to her while she'd been away.

Luka would wait until she knocked, and then the questioning could begin. This wasn't serious.

Not yet, anyway.

Luka had learned to focus even while her surroundings caused her alarm, so getting through the morning's paperwork was just as easy as if everything was going normally. Like a part of her family hadn't changed over the course of her illness. Luka had even made sure she'd been attended by the best doctors.

She looked after her people. So why?

Chika didn't have much of a family. An elderly grandmother was her sole connection, since her parents had died when she was little. It was why Luka had taken Chika under her care to begin with. She sighed, signing off the last of the documents before standing up. Goddammit, these past few days had been annoying. Luka felt the magic pulse underneath her skin for a few moments before she managed to get her breathing back under control.

There was a knock on the door, and Chika poked her head in.

'You've got a meeting–'

'The meeting can wait.' Luka turned around to face her, and saw that Chika looked unworried by her tone. Luka frowned. 'Come, sit down.'

Chika crossed over to the chair opposite Luka's desk and relaxed into it, folding one leg over the other with a grace that unusual for her.

Scratch the other possibilities, that was an entirely different person sat in her office. But how? How could it be–

Fucking magic.

The anger on her face must have been apparent, for Chika smirked again.

'Finally guessed, have you?'

Luka would know that tone anywhere. And with a shimmer, Chika was gone, and in her place sat Miku.

'Ta-da!' Miku laughed. 'Did you like it?'

She wouldn't rise to the bait. She wouldn't.

'I suppose that would have been a great opportunity to test out shooting you,' Luka said. Miku laughed again, but this one was tinged with a mocking air. Once she'd stopped, Luka continued. 'So, are you going to tell me why you're here?'

Miku put a finger to her lips, making a show of pretending to think. 'Oh, now why would I, a magic user, come to help you, a fellow magic user?'

'See, now there's the crux of the problem,' Luka said. 'Why would someone like _you_ be interested in helping me? The money? The infamy? Or is it even about being part of the family? Because for some reason, I don't quite see any of those answers fitting you.'

Miku smiled. 'I don't give up my reasons so easily, you know. I'm not some cheaply hired errand girl you found.'

'Fine. You help me then you get the fuck out of my office, if you don't want to give me a clue as to why you're doing all this.'

'I don't give my secrets up easily, Miss Megurine,' Miku said, her voice dangerous. 'I've said that before, and I'd like you to heed that warning. I could very easily go out of this office and straight into Diva's headquarters, but I'm not going to. I'll give you one reason and one reason only – I'm bored. And I've chosen you to relieve that boredom.'

'You're going to help me destroy one of the most notorious criminals in the city because you're _bored?_ I'd say colour me surprised, but honestly, I'm really not.'

Miku stood up and stretched, as though even their conversation was boring her. 'Now that's out of the way, what do you say we help along your magic a little, hmm?'

Luka had to resist the urge to shake her head. Miku was poking around her office, seemingly completely oblivious to her frustration.

'At least tell me that you haven't killed my secretary. She's good for business, you know.'

'Oh, her?' Miku said nonchalantly. 'She's still at home, resting. On the mend, apparently. A little bird told me this morning. We wouldn't have wanted two Chika's running around, now would we?'

'You know what?' Luka said. 'I'm not even going to ask how you know that.'

'Good. I don't want you poking your nose where it doesn't belong. I really hate it when people do that.'

 _I gathered,_ Luka thought, thinking back to when she'd tried to rile up Miku by mentioning her sister. Or, as Miku had so kindly worded it – sister-in-law.

'You got a couch around here or something?' Miku asked. 'This will work better if we're touching.' She waggled her eyebrows, and Luka bit back a sigh. As if this day could get any worse.

'No, and why can't we sit on the floor like when I got my core from Stardust?'

'I'm not going to sit on the floor like some peasant.'

Luka counted to three. If she was still angry by three, did she have permission to kill her?

Yes, she thought grimly. Yes, she did.

Unfortunately, Miku had left the office by three, going to Chika's room instead, where Luka knew there was a couch. She followed after her, feeling a little like a dog on a lead. There was so much to figure out about this damned woman, but like hell it was going to stop her from learning more about magic. Luka _needed_ it, needed to feel it crackle at her fingertips as she used it to destroy everything Diva loved. That being said, Luka wondered what powers Miku would teach her. She hadn't seen her use anything too offensive, other than the display of speed she'd shown when they'd first met. And her strength, also, was something to behold. Had Miku just used her magic to enhance her body? Even if Luka just had superior strength, that would be enough.

Miku was propped up on the couch, and the wireless was switched on so the faint sounds of music could be heard.

'Why the music?' Luka asked.

'It helps relax the soul, I find,' Miku replied. 'This wireless was a fantastic invention, but I still don't think anything can beat live music.'

Luka sat down opposite her, wondering if the news would come on soon. That would certainly make Miku's calm demeanour crack, surely.

She couldn't wait.

Despite her gleeful thoughts, Luka held out her hands and waited for Miku to take them.

'You know, I thought I said this would be better if we're touching. Are you going to lie down, or what?' Miku said. Luka raised on eyebrow.

'On you?'

'Oh, you say it with such hatred it hurts,' Miku said, placing a hand on her heart. 'Yes, _on me_ , where else? You can't be touching me on the floor… unless you want to get on your knees, of course.'

'You'd be damn lucky to have me at all,' Luka said.

'I already have, darling. Now, are we going to do this or are you just going to sit there pouting all day?'

'Fine,' Luka said, turning around and laying down so her head was resting on Miku's chest. She still had her surprise up her sleeve, after all. Luka couldn't let herself get into a situation like this without a little something in return. Miku didn't say anything about her compliance, but Luka knew she was most likely wearing that smirk on her face. She could almost feel it, and it made her want to grit her teeth.

Thankfully, Miku didn't seem to be wearing that all-encompassing perfume that she'd worn the other night. The one she was wearing now was subtler powdery smell that lingered in the air around them. It made Luka feel calmer, almost, ready to delve in deep within herself to try and find that elusive spark of magic.

The sound of swing was quietly playing in the background, crackling through the speaker. Miku had taken Luka's hands while they both fell into a pattern of calm breathing. Miku didn't say anything, apparently just waiting for Luka to fall into a similar state that she'd been in with Stardust. Why they had to be touching for this to work, Luka didn't know. Still, she was comfortable, and it wasn't as though she was in an entirely humiliating position.

After a while, the darkness behind Luka's eyes became more pronounced as she banished her thoughts away from the impending news concerning Miku's surprise. That pulse was there, yet it felt like every time Luka began to draw near, it flitted away. Then, just as Luka began to get frustrating, she felt another presence alongside her, silvery and strong.

'Don't try to chase it.' Miku's voice was in her subconscious, or that was what it felt like. 'Magic is a living thing, you can't control it like you do everything else.' Alright, that was definitely Miku, mockery and all.

'Alright,' Luka thought, and she felt Miku's presence almost nod in approval as she directed her thoughts in her head rather than out her mouth. 'Then what do I need to do?'

'Let it come to you. It'll take time, but with each try, it'll get easier.'

'But with Stardust, I could feel it in my hands. And I can feel it inside all the time now.'

Miku hummed. 'Like I said, it's there, but it's new. It was gifted to you, and now it needs to settle in its host.'

'Host? Like a parasite?'

'In some ways. It draws from your energy somewhat, but as you practice, the well it draws from will get bigger. Almost like training a muscle.'

'You keep referring to it like it's something that's specific to me. Didn't you have to go through all this too?'

'I'm different,' Miku said, and Luka could hear the smug, mocking tone. 'Now, shush, and concentrate.'

They continued, and Luka threw in a few more attempts to try and catch the magical presence within her, much to Miku's loudly thought annoyance. But she settled, and tried to keep calm, collected. It came easier than Luka thought it would, considering the mood she'd been in the past couple of days.

But suddenly, Luka was jarred out of her subconscious when Miku dropped her hands and sat upright, almost throwing Luka off her in the process.

Ah, yes, the news. She'd almost forgotten. Suppressing a smile, Luka opened her eyes and moved off Miku to sit by her.

'… a body was discovered in the wreckage of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse…' The newsreader carried on in his clipped, received pronunciation.

Stardust had gone to find her mother, then. Even faeries couldn't withstand an explosion like that. Luka looked over at Miku, who was idly examining her nails.

Not exactly the reaction Luka was looking for.

Miku looked up at her. 'Oh, I know who it is. You made that much obvious with your expectant silence.'

'Wasn't she a friend?'

'In some ways, I suppose.'

Luka knew it was a dangerous game to try and push Miku's buttons, but she couldn't resist. It was much too tempting to see if she could get a reaction out of her.

'She made for a good example,' Luka said lightly. 'Do you think it got the message across?'

Was that a glimmer of a glare there, behind that nonchalant expression? Luka wished that she knew Miku better so she was able to read her properly. Maybe she'd find time to put up an appearance of civility before the inevitable happened, though Luka supposed that they were being civil now. Did she really care about finding out the secrets behind Miku's little empire? If she was honest about it to herself, she was curious. But she doubted even friends of Miku, if she really had any, were privy to that knowledge. And Luka certainly did not want to become friends with this woman. She was far too aggravating.

'Are you going to investigate, or are you going to let your people do the dirty work?' Miku asked, with whatever irritation Luka might or might not have imagined gone.

'I've got some I need to speak to,' Luka said. 'So, if we're done here, I'd like you to leave.'

'So soon? Won't you miss me?' Miku said, pouting. 'Besides, I'd like to have a little look at your handiwork. Can't let Stardust's death count for nothing, can I?'

Did that mean she actually cared about Stardust? Luka couldn't tell. Damn it, Miku was far better at masking her emotions than Luka ideally would have liked.

* * *

The journey to the crime scene was quiet, and Luka watched as the city limits were left behind and they entered desolate grey countryside. Rain was starting to speckle down from the sky, and Luka and Miku were handed plain black umbrellas by their driver from the back of the car. Inconspicuous enough, but Luka knew everyone on the site knew who she was.

Apart from one, it seemed.

'Miss, I'm afraid you can't just waltz into a secure area like that–' His face paled as Luka shot him a look. The officer next to him whispered in his ear, and he froze. 'Go… go right ahead, both of you.'

Before his sentence was even finished, Luka had walked over to the Detective Chief Inspector, Miriam Stockley, who was facing towards the burnt out husk of the warehouse.

'DCI Stockley, it's good to see you,' Luka said.

Miriam turned to face her. 'What do you want, Megurine? And why have you brought a tag-along?'

Miku crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at her moniker.

'I'd appreciate a little more civility from you, Miriam,' Luka said. 'Besides, I'm not here to talk about this.' She waved her hand dismissively at the scene. 'I'm here to talk about Clara.'

Miriam's hand clenched. 'I'm afraid I don't know who you mean.'

'Come on now, Miriam. Do I really need to go through the reasons why I know that's not true?'

'Please,' Miriam said. Luka noticed she was shivering slightly. 'She's not important in the grand scheme of things, is she? Look, it'll sort itself out, I–'

'Tell me,' Luka said lightly. 'I know you just as well as _she_ does. If you help me here, I can protect you both from her.'

Miriam shook her head, slowly, as if it pained her to do so. 'I can't.'

Luka smiled, turned around, and started walking away. She waited for the call, something to give, but it never came.

As she got into the car, her mood seemed to sour considerably. So, Miriam wasn't talking. This time, it really did appear to be Diva's fault. Damn it, she'd had a good hold on Miriam. Miriam's son-

 _Miriam's son._

Diva had him. It was the only answer. The one step Luka hadn't felt she'd needed to take yet. She gritted her teeth. Fuck, now what did she do? She couldn't exactly go on a rescue mission, win back Miriam's favour.

As her thoughts swirled around her head, Miku got into the car with a huff.

'Thanks for waiting – wait, what's that face for? It looks like you've stepped in shit. I know that conversation didn't go well, but...'

'I'm sure you know exactly the reason _why,'_ Luka said.

'About Miriam? I don't mess with the police, they don't amuse me nearly as much as everyone else. You going to tell me?'

'Later,' Luka said. Miku narrowed her eyes, and Luka nodded towards their driver. Miku huffed again.

'That's the problem with having so many people. It's much easier to be a lone wolf.'

'Look, just drop it. I don't need your mockery,' Luka growled, and shut her eyes.

They spent the rest of the journey back in silence, Luka wondering how the hell she was supposed to deal with Diva's people when Diva herself had a vice-like grip on the ones she actually trusted somewhat.

God, each day was just getting worse by the minute.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Some good old fashioned action this chapter. I'm sorry it's been like, a month or more since my last update. I had a little block with this chapter, but once I found my way past it I couldn't stop! I'm looking forward to exploring this fic.**

* * *

Chapter Four

Damn it, Miku wasn't leaving her alone. Luka strode into her office and began pacing. She wanted to hit something, the magic felt like it was breathing heavily under her skin, but she would _not_ give Miku the satisfaction of something that amounted to a pathetic little temper tantrum because things weren't going her way.

The little minx had slunk her way into her office and was leaning against the closed door. She was waiting for an answer, one that Luka had half a mind not to give. But, if there was a chance that Miku would comply and use her magic to help Luka with the Clara problem, and in turn gain information on where Diva was keeping Miriam's son… it was a long shot on both accounts, but Luka didn't have the time or the patience to deal with more insidious ways of dealing with things.

'Are you going to walk in circles all day? Or will we actually get somewhere in this conversation? Something more than a growl, anyway.'

Luka closed her eyes for a moment. 'Diva's got Miriam's son.'

'Don't tell me you want to go on a rescue mission.'

'Not now. I've got Clara to get dirt on first. She's linked to Diva, somehow, and I need her gone if she's a resource to that bitch. Or at least have her on my side. If she has information on the Miriam situation then that's a bonus.'

'And I assume you want me to get the scoop on Clara?' Miku said, raising an eyebrow. 'What do I get out of this?'

'You said you were bored,' Luka said, smirking. 'Why don't we go and deal with Clara ourselves?'

Miku grinned back. 'That does sound amusing. But isn't it a little risky for the likes of yourself?'

'You keep saying that like things don't apply to you. You're mortal just like everybody else, no matter how much magic you have.' Miku didn't say anything, staring right at her, but Luka carried on anyway despite her silence. 'It will be risky. But some tasks require a personal touch.'

'Like when you came to see me?'

God, but that innocent sounding little question made Luka's blood boil.

'You keep mentioning it, not me,' Luka said. 'Are you giving me a hint?'

'Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Who knows unless one of us tries something?'

Luka had a feeling if she tried anything she'd be the dead one. Not that she wanted to.

 _My services always come at a cost…_ Luka wasn't going to forget those words, and even if anything happened right now, she was sure Miku wasn't going to forget them, either. Besides, she was still infuriatingly annoyed by the events that transpired when they'd first met. It was gettng to her, and she needed a release. Preferably not with Miku, but she'd take what she could get, and damn it, Miku was a very beautiful woman.

The woman in question was making her way over to Luka, a smile on her lips and a gleam in her eyes that didn't quite match.

Kissing, Luka found, was never something she really considered essential. After the disappointment of her first kiss, which had quickly made her realise that it wasn't all the fireworks and electric shocks that her copious childhood reading had lied to her about, Luka had decided that she could live without it. Sex, on the other hand, especially when it came to a powerful woman like Miku... god, but she needed to see that woman squirm.

Miku was tracing a line down Luka's face, and Luka took pleasure in the fact that Miku had to lean up to reach her.

'Hmm, I think I need to wipe that smile off your face,' Miku said, her lips slightly apart.

'Today's been a bitch enough already,' Luka said. 'If you're going to do this, just get on with it.'

Miku shook her head, tutting. 'There's no fun in being ordered about. I like prey that beg.'

'Prey? Really?' Luka said, raising an eyebrow. 'I wouldn't have taken you as that sort of person. Devious, of course, but never like that.'

'Oh, you do like to joke, don't you?' Miku said, and then her lips were on Luka's, an open-mouthed, panting kiss, trading breaths and fighting tongues. That feeling that had overtaken Luka the first time wasn't nearly as strong, and Luka suspected there was a reason behind it, but she wasn't going to bother to think much during this. If, of course, Miku was going to grant her that release.

They broke apart, staring at one another for a second. They–

A knock on the door.

Fuck today. Really.

Luka took a deep breath, and pulled herself away to answer the door. She swore she heard a giggle from Miku as she opened it, and smoothed down her hair.

'Yes?' Luka said, and her voice was surprisingly calm. Her receptionist was on the other side, hair in an overly tight bun.

'You have a meeting in five minutes, ma'am. Chika wasn't in her office, so I thought I'd inform you of the proceedings.'

'Thank you. I'll be there shortly.'

The receptionist turned away, and Luka shut the door with a sigh. She felt a hand running down her back.

'Five minutes?' Miku murmured. 'That might be enough time... for you.'

'Fuck you.' Really, it was all that needed to be said, Luka thought. She ran a hand through her hair. 'Go home, I don't want you in this office alone.'

'Be nice. I'm going to find out about Clara, aren't I?'

'Of course,' Luka said, like there'd been no question to the matter at all. Without saying anything more, she opened the door again and waved Miku through.

* * *

The meeting, in a word, was hell. Luka was getting distracted, both by the need that was aching down below, and by her damn magic that felt like it was going to start rampaging on its own if she didn't do something about it. With a curt nod to everyone there, she waited until everyone had left, then closed her eyes. Focus. That was what she needed to do. She wasn't going to be some lust stricken teenager, Luka was better than that.

Her magic, on the other hand, was pulsing steadily away. It must have been tied to her emotions, then. That made sense, seeing as it came from a faerie, and they were prone to destruction when they were angry. Either that, or it used Luka's anger like a fuel to grow more settled. She didn't know how it worked, and that frustrated her more, but she wasn't going to let herself get truly annoyed by this.

Her breathing became deeper, but it was a hell of a lot more difficult to keep calm and focus when she wasn't around Miku. Why was that? Luka shuffled through her mind, trying to think of a good reason. If anything, Miku should've made it _harder_ for her to focus, not the other way around. When was the point where Luka had become relaxed around her? They had turned on the music, Miku saying that it was going to help relax her, but that hadn't been the turning point. Luka had lay down on Miku, settled in for the meditative trance… oh.

The perfume.

There was something in Miku's perfume.

So that meant… that night, when Luka had succumbed to that feeling of lust, that overpowering scent Miku had used…

Luka got up, found her coat and some backup, and left.

* * *

As soon as she stepped out the car in front of the cabaret, her backup already ahead and waiting on the pavement, Luka noticed a ball of light not far off. It wasn't attached to anything, and Luka frowned for a moment before she realised.

'Cover me!' she cried, and the ball of light vanished. In its place stood Fukase, breathing heavily and hands glowing a deep red. He threw a ball of energy, and Luka dodged it before realising he was aiming at her car. Her feet pounded on the ground as she sought to gain some distance before the inevitable.

Thankfully, the car didn't explode, but it was launched into the air, crunching on the tarmac upside down. Her driver was safe, having already gotten out to hold the door open for her, but now she was a potential target, even if she was armed.

Damn it, she'd forgotten about Fukase. And look where it had gotten her now. Luka grimaced, before noticing she was on the edge of the steps leading down to the cabaret. She banged on the door, fully aware that the longer she stood there, the more vulnerable she was. Fukase had stopped at the top of the stairs, but had to flit away to dodge the barrage of bullets that were pinging his way. The meshed window slid open.

'What the hell's going on out there?'

'Doesn't matter,' Luka said. 'I need to get in.'

'We're not open yet.'

'I'm Luka Megurine!' Luka yelled. 'Open the fucking door when I tell you to!'

The window slid closed hurriedly, and the door was swung open. Fukase was back, and coming towards her. She didn't want to leave her guys out there on their own, but all she needed was to get to Miku.

Luka ran, the guy on door duty slamming it shut behind her, but a second later the door was blown from its hinges by another blast of energy.

'Miku!' Luka shouted. 'Get out here!'

She threw a glance over her shoulder, and saw Fukase freeze for a second. What the hell kind of magic did Miku have that a faerie would give pause?

But apparently Miku didn't have to be told twice, either Luka's shout had worked, or the commotion had alerted her someone was messing with her territory.

'You killed my friend!' Fukase shouted. 'Why did you-'

Miku seemed to have heard enough, for a blast of silver energy barrelled its way across the room and hit Fukase square in the chest.

'Nobody,' she hissed, 'messes with _my_ space, _my_ things.'

Fukase groaned, flat on his back, and Miku flicked her wrist. Lines of silver energy wrapped themselves around Fukase's wrists and ankles, binding him.

'You...' he panted, 'you were her friend...'

'I was, for a time,' Miku admitted, walking towards him. 'But not you.'

Fukase's eyes widened, and Luka watched as Miku knelt beside him, and cupped his face with her hands.

With another flick of her wrist, Miku snapped his neck.

'Get rid of him, Al,' Miku said, panting. The door guy nodded, and he moved over to lift up the body. She turned to Luka. 'You. Did you bring him here?'

'No. I came here for a different reason. Fukase was here when I arrived.'

Miku smiled. 'Good. No need to bring mess where it isn't wanted. Come to my room? The band isn't here yet, but I thought I'd get ready early.'

With that, she turned around and walked away, still catching her breath.

Luka followed, if only to keep her life.

* * *

Miku was busying herself making tea for the both of them, but Luka didn't feel like poking around in her stuff. She'd only come here for one reason, after all, and the whole Fukase situation was an afterthought.

'I've not had a chance to find out more about Clara,' Miku said. She turned around and brought the teacups over, setting them down on the table. Her hands were shaking slightly. 'Damn it.'

'What is it?' Luka said. 'I know you're more powerful than you look, so why did Fukase make you like this?'

Miku sighed. 'When you take a life, magic doesn't like it. I could've done it with my bare hands, but I felt like showing off. Everyone's magic behaves differently, but all magic stems from the same source. That source is something called the Aether. Nobody really knows what it is, but it's alive. It's why magic feels like its running under your skin all the time. I called it a parasite before, and it is in some ways, but to explain a little more… well, I need some tea first.

'Okay, so, the way the theory goes is that the strands of magic you possess are kind of broken off parts of the Aether. But it's still kin, so what the Aether doesn't like, neither does the strands. It's also why magic is so weak when it gets gifted, because it's a brand new strand that has to mould to you first. But, going back to an earlier point, humans don't take so much to kill – I barely break a sweat, even if they are magic users. More powerful creatures, like faeries, they're more connected to the Aether, so they make more of a backlash.'

Luka thought for a moment. 'So why does my magic feel more powerful when I get angry?'

'It's still a part of you, attuned to your body, so when emotions run high, it gets excited along with you. Despite what the Aether might think of taking a life, it still likes adrenaline, I suppose. But, I've gone off topic. Why did you really come here?'

Luka felt the anger flare up again, but after seeing Miku act in the other room, she sought to calm herself. 'The perfume,' she stated.

'You figured it out quicker than I would've liked,' Miku said.

'I was joking before, about the whole prey thing. But it seems you really are that kind of person,' Luka said, secretly surprised by her own calm tone. Miku raised an eyebrow.

'Well, that presumption I can put to rest. I was also joking.'

'But-'

'Let me finish. The perfume I wore that night simply slightly exacerbates whatever feelings or desires you already had. You already wanted to fuck me, so it it made you feel it a little more strongly, that's all.'

Luka sat back in her chair, thinking. 'Alright. Why don't we try it again, right now?'

Miku smirked. 'Thought you'd have wanted more proof.'

She got up, after taking another sip of tea, and walked over to her vanity, perusing the bottles on there until she grabbed a lustrous red one. She sprayed it on herself, then walked over to Luka.

Luka wasn't sure what to expect. If Miku was lying, then she could very easily take advantage of her. But even though Luka had insisted on more proof, she felt like Miku wasn't lying to begin with, and she normally trusted her gut instincts. She stood up anyway, and met Miku halfway.

The scent was as all-encompassing as ever, sultry and sweet, but Luka wasn't feeling anything more than a quiet rage at herself that she'd let herself be so humiliated by something that she couldn't even blame on anyone but herself. As she breathed it in, her fists clenched, and she gritted her teeth.

'Enough. I've seen enough.'

Miku stepped back, sitting down at the opposite end of the table at the same time Luka took a seat. 'I suppose you don't want to continue where we left off?' She was smirking, damn it, why did she have to mock her so much?

Luka took a couple of calming breaths before having a sip of her tea. The mellow flavour spread out on her tongue and helped her seek the mood she sought after.

''I'd better get going. My men are waiting,' Luka said.

'I'll find out about Clara. Then you can really see me in action,' Miku replied, smirking again.

If that was just a taste of Miku's power before… that raised the same question as before – what the hell kind of magic was Miku packing?

What _was_ she?

* * *

Deep breaths. Hands on her knees, palms up. _Concentrate_.

Luka's magic had been pulsing under her skin for most of the day, she knew it was there, she just had to find a place where she could coax it to come out. Miku had been right, this wasn't something she could control. This magic, this Aether, was older and more powerful than anything she'd ever come across. If she couldn't force it, then she'd have to find a way to let herself work together with it.

Miku… the more she found out about her, the more mysterious she became. Luka would have to do some digging, but Miku had her sources scattered across the whole city, they'd probably report back to her that Luka was snooping, and then she'd be mad.

Luka really didn't want to be on the receiving end of Miku's fury.

And the magic, the fact that Luka couldn't take lives without a backlash. That was infuriating. It made her wonder what the hell this Aether was. And why had Miku let her on to this fact at all? She could've sent Luka away instead of inviting her to her room. Miku could've kept the act up that she could've easily killed Luka at any time.

But then again, Miku had said humans were small fry.

Which made her wonder again, who, or what, the hell was Miku?

Luka was getting sidetracked. Back to the magic. Breathe.

She sat there for a good long while, the light dimming outside, and Luka herself getting pulled deeper into a trance, deeper into the darkness in her mind.

A pinprick of golden light.

Luka didn't allow herself to tense, didn't allow the excitement to take over. She simply watched. The light made its way over to her, unsure, flitting this way and that. But it settled, in the middle of her mind, and Luka felt the urge to open her eyes.

Her hands were glowing, an ethereal golden light. She made a fist, and the light disappeared.

'For you, father,' Luka whispered. 'I'll pay her back. Just you wait.'


End file.
